Symptom Management

Eighty-four percent of the people in America own a smartphone, while 78 percent own a laptop or desktop. With all the technology available at our fingertips, it is hard not to think of all the ways we can use it for our benefit. When it comes to our diets and eating habits, having a smartphone or smart device (such as Alexa or Google Home), we can monitor ourselves in a more convenient way. Let’s face it, being on a strict regimen – such as the Wahl’s diet or Swank diet, or even a diet plan you have created through trial and error – requires consistent monitoring. Following dietary restrictions not only requires hard work, but also planning the types of foods you will consume, purchasing the proper groceries, and jotting down your daily intake as you continue your dietary journey. Thanks to technology, all of these things have become easier for anyone to do and here is how.

Planning

There are apps available for both Android and Apple users that can give you recipe ideas based on what dietary restrictions you have. If you do not have a smartphone, these recipes are also available on your desktop. Simply type in the diet plan you are following into Google and you will see websites full of free recipes. For the smartphone users, there are apps available that can be downloaded and personalized to your needs. Pinterest is a great one for every person to use, regardless of the type of smart device you own. But, Pinterest is only one of the many websites available. There are many others that can be found at the touch of your fingertips. Some of the more commonly used are the Food Network Kitchen, Yummly, Tasty, and NYT Cooking.

Please keep in mind, these are only a few of the many available. So don’t hesitate to do your research and see which apps/websites work best for you. You can also get hundreds of recipes from other people who follow similar dietary regimens with you and see what groceries and kitchen tools you need in order to cook these meals. Having a variety of meals to cook is important because it allows us to still have fun with the process of cooking and consuming, while being able to listen to our body and give it the nutrition it requires. 

Groceries

We all know how tedious grocery shopping can be, especially if you live in an area where the climate is not cooperating with your health most of the year. Some people are able to physically grocery shop during the month or may have caretakers who can help. However, there are some who have to rely on delivery services to get their groceries. In either scenario, technology can help get the groceries in a more efficient manner. Nowadays, there are apps and website equivalents available for everyone to use so they can get their groceries delivered.

Places such as Target, Walmart, Costco, Kroger, and many other grocery chains have ways for people to get everything they need in order to cook meals without having to leave their house. Target and Walmart use their own delivery services, which are available through their website or their respective apps. If downloading apps for individual grocery stores is too tedious for you, using Instacart would be the next best option.

Instacart is a website, also an app, in which someone else does all the grocery shopping for you. You will simply pick out everything you need from the stores that are partnered with Instacart and someone else does the shopping and delivers it right to your doorstep. Technology has made the task of getting groceries much simpler, so fear not, there is a way to continue your diet plans this fall. 

Journaling

One of the most recommended tips when following any diet is to journal. Having a daily food journal allows you to keep track of what you are consuming, count the calories or macros of each meal, and allows you to reflect on your progress whenever needed. With the advancement in technology, we no longer need to use physical journals and carry them around all the time. There are apps available on smartphones and websites that can be accessed through any desktop or laptop. 

Apps such as My Fitness Pal or Calorie Counter Pal allow you to simply scan the barcode of what you are consuming and fill in the rest as you go. These are only two of the many available apps, so make sure to test out the different ones and see which best accommodates to your lifestyle. 

With the help of technology, dietary lifestyles can be achieved more easily. Any type of diet requires hard work and consistency that no technology can achieve. However, with the help of the Internet and apps on smartphones, staying consistent and being able to see your hard work progress over time is attainable.